Document management systems, whether paper-based or electronic, are only as reliable as the information contained within the systems. If, for example, a given document is not catalogued or indexed into a document management system, the document will most likely not be found through a search or query of the corresponding document database. To the unsuspecting user who performs the search, it would appear as though the document does not exist, where in fact, someone simply may have not taken the time to “capture” or enter the document into the system.
Various electronic devices known in the art are capable of receiving document data for inclusion within an electronic document management system. Facsimile machines represent one such class of electronic devices and are typically capable of receiving both paper-based and electronic data. Conventional facsimile machines (sometimes referred to as “G3fax” devices) typically receive paper-based data through a scanning interface that converts (“digitizes”) the data to an electronic format, and receive (as well as transmit) electronic data through a modem interface. A modem interface functions to modulate digital data for transmission across the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN), and demodulate data received over such a telephone network. Some facsimile devices, known as Internet fax devices or “Ifax” devices, are further capable of transmitting and receiving data over networks such as the Internet, using standard Internet protocols without the need to modulate or demodulate data. Additional information with respect to Internet facsimile devices may be found in (request for comments “RFC” numbers 2305, 2532, and 2542 available at http://www.rfc-editor.org)).
Facsimile machines known in the art (whether G3 or Internet facsimile devices) often require a significant amount of user-attention when transmitting facsimile documents, not to mention when processing electronic document data for inclusion within a document database. It is therefore desirable to have a facsimile system that processes electronic document data for inclusion within an electronic document database, with reduced, or even minimal, user intervention.